Sacks vs (INT's + Passes Defended) 10 Top Teams

[IcyPatriot]

I'm looking at the top defensive teams and the top playoff teams this past year. Not looking at tackles, or yards allowed, or any offensive stats. My sole purpose was to see a trend amongst the top teams between a strong secondary and teams that had many sacks.

Kind of crude ... but there was a trend to see.

Took [PD + (INT x 3)] and ranked the teams by totals ... stats from 2010.

1: Eagles - 159
2: Packers - 158
3: Steelers - 151
4: Patriots - 151
5: Ravens - 137
6: Chiefs - 137
7: Falcons - 136
8: Bears - 136
9: Giants - 135
10: Browns - 134


Top Sack teams 2010:
(If there was a QB pressure stat somewhere it would help)

1: Steelers - 48
2: Packers - 47
3: Raiders - 47
4: Chargers - 47
5: Giants - 46
6: Lions - 44
7: Rams - 43
8: Titans - 40
9: Jets - 40
10 Dolphins - 39

 

[Deus Irae]

Patriots sack rankings:

2000: 25
2001: 13
2002: 20
2003: 6
2004: 3
2005: 23
2006: 5
2007: 2
2008: 14
2009: 23
2010: 14

Sack rankings seem to track the Patriots success and failure under Belichick pretty darned well. In the Patriots system, INDIVIDUAL sack totals are relatively unimportant. Team sack totals, however, show a high degree of correlation with the team's ability to get the job done, because the defense is designed to work as one symbiotic organism, with coverage leading to sacks and sacks leading to coverage.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I think sacks, just like rushing X number of times or rushing for X number of yards is a chicken-or-the-egg type of debate.


Do teams win because they rush X number of times?
Or do teams rush X number of times because they are winning?

Do teams win because they rush for X number of yards?
Or do teams rush for X number of yards because they are winning?

Do teams win because they are able to get sacks?
Or do teams get sacks because they are winning?

 

[IcyPatriot]

I think sacks, just like rushing X number of times or rushing for X number of yards is a chicken-or-the-egg type of debate.


Do teams win because they rush X number of times?
Or do teams rush X number of times because they are winning?

Do teams win because they rush for X number of yards?
Or do teams rush for X number of yards because they are winning?

Do teams win because they are able to get sacks?
Or do teams get sacks because they are winning?

Well rounded teams is the best way to go ...

That being said I think a top secondary + Well rounded LB'ers is better then a weaker secondary with a top 10 in the league sacks type of team. Sacks gets you on ESPN ... Passes defended and INT's help you get to the playoffs. If there's a stat sight for QB pressures that would be excellent for the thread but I don't know of any.

 

[DarrylS]

Well rounded teams is the best way to go ...

That being said I think a top secondary + Well rounded LB'ers is better then a weaker secondary with a top 10 in the league sacks type of team. Sacks gets you on ESPN ... Passes defended and INT's help you get to the playoffs. If there's a stat sight for QB pressures that would be excellent for the thread but I don't know of any.

I agree Aaron Schatz of Cold Hard Football Facts touts a stat that goes something like if a team throws an interception they have a 20% chance of loosing, conversely if they intercept they have a 20% chance of winning..

Interceptions are a very big stat..